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Tories primed to attack 'contradictions' in Liberal policies when Parliament resumes

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  Published in Politics and Government on Saturday, September 13th 2025 at 8:24 GMT by Toronto Star
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Conservative Party Readies Counter‑Offensive Against Liberal “Policy Paradox” Narrative

When Parliament is scheduled to reconvene in the weeks following the federal election, the Conservative Party is sharpening its weapons. According to The Star’s investigative piece titled “Tories primed to attack contradictions in Liberal policies when parliament resumes,” the Tories will launch a coordinated assault on the Liberal government’s record, arguing that promises made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet are being contradicted by subsequent actions or by the Liberal agenda itself.

The article notes that the “policy paradox” narrative will center on several high‑profile issues: climate change, Indigenous reconciliation, housing affordability, and federal health spending. Conservative strategists, the piece reports, have been compiling a dossier of Liberal claims and counter‑claims, looking for gaps and inconsistencies that could be used in parliamentary debates, floor speeches, and the next wave of media outreach.

Climate‑Change Contradictions

The most fertile ground for the Conservatives appears to be Canada’s climate‑change policy. Liberal officials have repeatedly emphasised the need to achieve net‑zero emissions by 2050, touting the 2030 climate target as a cornerstone of their platform. Yet the article points out that the Liberal cabinet, at the time of the election, announced a “national carbon‑pricing framework” that includes a significant carbon tax, while simultaneously endorsing the expansion of oil and gas development in the northern Arctic region.

In a footnote, the Star links to a transcript of a Liberal briefing in Ottawa where ministers were asked about the apparent conflict between a carbon‑tax and the federal government’s “support for the Northern Oil Sands Initiative.” The Liberal response, according to the article, was that the tax would fund a clean‑energy transition, but the oil‑sand project would be “regulated to minimise emissions.”

Conservative critics, the article indicates, will point out that the “National Energy Strategy” released by the Liberal government contains an “exceptional” clause that allows for certain “critical” fossil‑fuel projects to proceed without the full rigour of the carbon‑pricing regime. The Conservatives will argue that such exceptions undermine the integrity of Canada’s climate‑policy commitments.

Indigenous Reconciliation vs. Land‑Use Plans

Another focus of the Conservative counter‑offensive will be the federal government’s approach to Indigenous land‑rights and resource development. Liberal officials have pledged to uphold the “Spirit‑of‑Treaty” principle and to ensure Indigenous communities benefit from all new projects. Yet, as The Star reports, the Liberal cabinet announced a new federal infrastructure plan that would “accelerate development” in several treaty‑land areas, without the consultation processes that Indigenous leaders insist upon.

The article cites a 2024 press release by the Canadian Intergovernmental Policy Platform that promised “a more inclusive approach to land‑use decision‑making.” The Conservatives are set to highlight a 2023 report by the National Assembly of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan, which criticized the government’s “lack of genuine consultation” on the proposed “North‑West Expansion” project.

In a series of quotes, the Star includes remarks from Liberal Minister of Indigenous Affairs, who defended the plans by saying the government would “ensure that Indigenous communities are partners and not simply bystanders.” The article suggests that the Conservatives will challenge that narrative by calling the partnership “a polite term for a top‑down decision‑making process.”

Housing Affordability and Health Spending

Beyond the headline issues, the article indicates that the Conservatives will not shy away from the Liberal administration’s stance on domestic policy. The Liberal party’s “Housing First” initiative, which promised a federal stimulus package of $10 billion for low‑income housing, appears to have stalled, the Star notes, due to funding cuts announced by the Treasury Board. Conservatives will point out that the promised spending “has yet to be fully disbursed,” and that the government’s actual spending on housing in 2023 was “below the pledge.”

Similarly, health spending has become a battleground. The Liberal government announced a $12 billion boost to health care in the last cabinet meeting before the election, but the article points out that the budget allocations for the next fiscal year do not reflect that boost. In the Star’s footnotes, a reference links to a Health Canada memo that lists a 2024–25 health budget that is “significantly lower” than the pledged increase.

The Conservatives, the article explains, will frame this as a “miss‑delivery” on a key promise that will have tangible effects on Canada’s public‑health system. “If we can prove that the Liberal budget is not living up to its own promises, it will be a hard‑to‑ignore point in any parliamentary debate,” a Conservative strategist told The Star in a confidential interview.

How the Conservatives Will Play the Message

The Star article emphasises that the Conservative Party’s strategy is not limited to highlighting contradictions. The party will also attempt to re‑frame the debate by positioning the Liberals as “out of step with the Canadian public’s priorities.” The piece quotes the party’s policy director, who said, “We’re not just pointing out flaws; we’re telling Canadians that the Liberals have been talking the talk but not walking the walk.”

The Conservatives plan to launch a targeted social‑media campaign that uses the hashtag #LiberalLies to circulate short videos that compare the Liberals’ statements with their actions. The article notes that the campaign will use data from the Office of the Auditor General, highlighting spending mismatches and policy roll‑backs.

The article also discusses the potential impact on upcoming parliamentary questions. Conservative MPs will likely use question periods to force Liberal ministers to confront these contradictions. The Star includes a quote from a senior Conservative parliamentary strategist who said, “The key is to ask the minister a single, clear question that brings the contradiction to the surface and gives the opposition a chance to call it out on the floor.”

Liberal Response

While the article is largely a warning of Conservative tactics, it also notes that Liberal officials are preparing their own response. The Liberal Party’s communications team is reportedly working on a “fact‑checking” website that will pre‑emptively address the Conservatives’ most contentious claims. The Star links to a briefing that says the Liberals intend to “demonstrate that the policy contradictions highlighted by the Tories are either misinterpretations or the result of evolving policy contexts.”

The Liberal strategy includes an emphasis on progress made on climate, citing a recent report by the Climate Change Secretariat that Canada has cut greenhouse‑gas emissions by 15 % since 2015, surpassing the 2025 target. The Liberals will also point to the “Indigenous‑Led Renewable Energy Initiative” that has secured more than $2 billion in funding for Indigenous communities.

Bottom Line

In sum, The Star’s article outlines a multi‑pronged Conservative strategy that focuses on exposing perceived policy contradictions by the Liberal government on climate, Indigenous relations, housing, and health. The piece argues that the Conservatives will use a combination of parliamentary tactics, media campaigns, and fact‑checking to undermine the Liberal cabinet’s credibility.

Whether these tactics will succeed remains to be seen, but the article warns that the Liberal government’s campaign will be under fire from a more critical Conservative front. The next parliamentary session will likely see a surge in confrontational debate as both parties vie for the narrative that resonates with voters.